Buzz Blog

Concert Review: Peter Murphy at Urban Lounge

Last night, The Urban Lounge in downtown SLC was shaken to its core: Calling all Goths! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Peter Murphy is in town!---

Back in the ‘90s, when I used to go dancing at a local underage, I mean “all-ages,” dance club, we would twist, writhe, suffer and sway to the sounds of “Cuts You Up.” As I walked into the Urban Lounge, it felt as if I’d been transported back to that time ... and I saw all the same people, just 20 years older.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I was hesitant to ask for an interview with Peter Murphy. The day of the show, I found myself laughing at the possibility of getting any face time with the Godfather of Goth. I didn’t end up talking with the man, but I was there. I felt him from the moment he came out -- right in my gut and my brain. He’s still got it: His resonating deep, dark voice wrapped itself around my heart and made me squeal like a teenage girl.

As a performer, Murphy is honest about who he is. Just as I thought, “He may be sexier than Bowie,” he slipped in a cover of “Ziggy Stardust.” Coincidence? I think not! At one point during the set, Murphy said, “Applause can sometimes become mundane.” Oh, really? Well, boo-hoo. The crowd not-so-mundanely loved him up so much that he came out for not one, but two, encores.

The capper on the evening: I saw Murphy’s longtime guitarist Mark Thwaite outside The Urban Lounge after the show, and he said, “Nice tats.” Again, I squealed like a teenage girl! Totally awesome!